Facts and figures

How does the School of Psychology compare with others in the South West?

All data shown on this page is taken from the 2016 UNISTATS website. If you visit their pages you can check out many more statistics and compare us against all other psychology courses in the UK.

It is important to know what you are getting from a university in exchange for your fees.

At Plymouth 24 per cent of your time will be spent in scheduled sessions with qualified academic staff, more than any of our regional competitors.

We use a variety of teaching methods in addition to lectures: you will have a dedicated personal tutor throughout your degree and will meet with them regularly, especially in your first year, when you will have small group tutorials throughout the year.

As well as practical classes and workshops where you learn hands-on skills and research methods, many modules involve options in which a group of students meet with an expert academic to discuss currently topical issues and to debate recent publications in the scientific literature.

Every year final year students across the UK rate their courses in the National Student Survey (NSS). The final question on the survey asks students if they agree with the statement 'Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the course'.

In each of the last six years, over 89 per cent of students from Plymouth's School of Psychology have chosen Agree or Strongly Agree.

None of our regional competitors have such a consistent record of satisfaction from their students.

Psychology is a challenging choice because you have to study a wide range of topics, from social and group behaviour, through cognitive and developmental psychology, to the neurosciences and psychophysics. Statistical analysis and report writing are key skills that you develop in all psychology courses. It is essential that you have access to specialised facilities and equipment so that you can carry out your own research.

90 per cent of students at Plymouth agree that they had access to specialised equipment and facilities during their studies.

All of our staff teach, and most of us have teaching qualifications. Many are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy, reflecting our belief that high quality teaching is a cornerstone of your experience at University. We are proud to involve our students in our research so that you discover what it is like to work as a scientist.

Higher education is about more than learning facts - you will enjoy the challenge of encountering new ideas and taking part in debates about controversial topics. All of our courses are taught by experts in their fields; psychological scientists who are publishing world-leading research.

At Plymouth, 89 per cent of students agree that the course is intellectually stimulating.

Ask other universities who does the teaching - do they have 'research only' professors and rely on doctoral students and staff in short-term jobs to teach students?

At Plymouth, we focus on your developing the skills you'll need in your career after graduation, so use a variety of modern assessment methods including practical reports, coursework essays, reflective reports, online tests and, of course, your final year research dissertation. Every piece of work receives feedback within 20 days of submission.

This means that 78 per cent of your assessments are realistic pieces of work, completed in your own time and submitted online.

Other universities in the region make greater use of traditional, timed exam-hall assessments.

When you are not in lectures or in the library, taking part in a practical, or an experiment, or even running your own experiments, it is good to have somewhere to relax and socialise with other students.

In the most recent NSS, 82 per cent of our students were satisfied with the Students' Union - one of the highest scores in the region.

Our Student Union is at the centre of the University, providing facilities for all staff and students. It supports a huge range of undergraduate societies and sporting clubs, and has an active volunteering section to help you get the most out of your time at University - and to find valuable experience to improve your CV.

Although our eBook scheme means that you'll have free access to all of the textbooks you need for your first two years, we also have a well resourced library with online access to thousands of academic journals.

92 per cent of our students agree that our Library resources meet their needs, a figure equalled by only one of our competitors.

There are plenty of open-access computers, and inexpensive printing facilities for everything from A4 to enormous colour posters.

There is no point going to university if you do not enjoy the course and pass your modules. Nobody wants to have to repeat a year or drop-out entirely.

92 per cent of first year psychology students at Plymouth pass all of their modules and progress to their second year at their first attempt.

Every student is assigned a personal tutor who works with them throughout their course. Your tutor gets to know you and can help you overcome difficulties that might be affecting your studies.

Once you graduate, you'll want to get a job or take on further study. We make employability matter throughout the course, with special modules on psychology careers in your first and second years, and opportunities for all students to take a year out on placement between their second and third years to gain valuable work experience.

89 per cent of our graduates are in work or further study (a masters or doctorate) within six months of graduation.

As well as work experience, you can spend your second year studying abroad - perhaps learning a language too - and you can volunteer as a Research Apprentice to help staff with their experiments. There are lots of opportunities to work as student representatives and ambassadors, as well.